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Retiring MPs

Lyn Breuer

Breuer was born and raised in Whyalla and returned to the city in 1973 after completing University studies. She served on Whyalla Council from 1991 to 1997, including three years as Deputy Mayor. Breuer was elected member for Giles in 1997 in succession to the retiring Frank Blevins. Breuer served three years on the Labor Party's National Executive 1997-2000, is the only Labor member of the House of Assembly from outside Adelaide, and was South Australia's first female Speaker from 2010 to 2013.

Pat Conlon

Originally born in Northern Ireland, 54 year-old Conlan's parents migrated to Australia when he was just 7 years old. He left school at fifteen, but later went to university as a mature age student, graduating in Arts/Law and winning several prizes. He has practiced in the past as a lawyer, and before his election to Parliament worked on the staff of Senator Nick Bolkus. In Parliament, he was in large part responsible for the setting up of the inquiries into the Motorola contract, the findings of which were eventually the undoing of former Premier John Olsen. After Labor came to office in 2002, Conlon served as a senior minister in numerous portfolios, including at various times Police, Government Enterprises, Energy, Infrastructure, Industrial Relations and Transport. Conlon stayed on in Cabinet after Jay Weatherill became Premier before announcing his intention to retire and leaving Cabinet in January 2013.

Robyn Geraghty

Born in New South Wales, 64 year-old Geraghty moved to South Australia in the 1950s. She has lived in Adelaide's north-east suburbs for much of her life and worked on the staff of a Federal MP at the time she was first elected in 1994. Her victory was at a by-election following the death of a Liberal MP elected at the December 1993 Liberal landslide, Geraghty's victory delivering Labor an eleventh member. Geraghty has been Government Whip since the 2002 election victory.

John Hill

64 year-old Hill worked in the past as a teacher, ministerial assistant and ALP state organiser before taking over the position of Labor Party State Secretary after the 1993 election rout. He had been the Labor candidate in the safe Liberal seat of Mitcham in the early 1980s, running third but helping to elect an Australian Democrat on the retirement of Robin Millhouse in 1982. Hill contested Kaurna at the 1993 election, when he had little hope of victory, but re-contested and won in 1997 while doubling as the Labor Party's state campaign director. Hill was a Minister for all of the Rann government, holding several senior portfolios, including responsibility for the difficult Health portfolio from 2005 until announcing his intention to retire in October 2011 when Jay Weatherill assumed the premiership.

Michael O'Brien

Born in Sydney and raised in Whyalla, 64 year-old O'Brien worked as a research assistant for Federal MP Neal Blewett before going on to work for the RAA and Elders. O'Brien and his wife established the national children's clothing business Bloom Australia, and they operated a small business until his election to Parliament. He was appointed a Minister in March 2009 following the resignation from Cabinet of Independent Rory McEwen. O'Brien was Minister for Finance, Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Correctional Services and Minister for Road Safety in January 2014 when he announced he would not be contesting the 2014 election. It had been intended that key right faction powerbroker Don Farrell would succeed him, but Farrell was forced to pull out of pre-selection at Premier Weatherill's insistence.

Gay Thompson

Thompson worked in the public sector, in education and as a union official before her election to Parliament in 1997. Her past employment included Secretary of the Administrative and Clerical Officers' Association and also for government as an Equal Opportunities Officer and a Women's Adviser. She served as Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees 2006-10.

Ivan Venning

68 year-old Venning was born on Boxing Day 1945, and was working as a farmer at the time of his election in 1990, winning a by-election for Custance caused by John Olsen's departure to the Senate. (Olsen returned to state parliament to represent Kavel in 1992.) Venning attended local Crystal Brook Primary followed by Adelaide's Prince Alfred College. He worked on the family farm until called up for National Service in 1966. Venning spent 10 years in local government and was a Senate candidate at the 1990 Federal election before his election to State parliament. He is Liberal Whip in the House of Assembly and a frontbench spokesman at various times. Venning is a lover of wine and President of the South Australian Parliamentary Wine Club. In 2002 he was inducted as a Baron of the Barossa, and he is also a vintage car and tractor enthusiast and President on the South Australian Parliamentary Bowls Club. Ivan's father Howard Venning served as the Liberal MP for Rocky River from 1968 to 1979.

Michael Wright

57 year-old Wright is the son of former Labor Deputy-Premier Jack Wright. He worked as a schoolteacher at Kadina on Yorke Peninsula, teaching economics and physical education, and also serving as Sports Master before working on the staff of Premier John Bannon. Wright contested Mawson unsuccessfully in 1993 and worked as a training officer with the Australian Workers Union before his victory in Lee in 1997. Wright served in several senior portfolios in the Rann government between 2002 and 2011, including Transport, Industrial Relations, Finance, Police and Emergency Services. He left Cabinet and announced his intention to retire at the 2014 election in the re-shuffle that followed the resignation of Kevin Foley as Treasurer and Deputy Premier.